title: Epidemiological and genetic characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the ear discharge of outpatients with chronic otitis media.
abstract: The origin of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains from otolaryngology outpatients has not been evaluated yet in Korea. We analyzed epidemiologic and genetic characteristics of MRSA isolates from the ear discharge of 64 outpatients with chronic otitis media in a Korean University Hospital during 2004. MRSA strains were grouped as either from the initial visit (n=33) or the follow-up visit (n=31) based on the timing of isolation. Healthcare-associated risk factors were frequently present among patients of the initial visit group, especially prior visit to primary clinic (79%) and antibiotic use (73%). SCCmec typing and multilocus sequence typing results showed that two genotypes, ST5-MRSA-II and ST239-MRSAIII, were prevalent in both the initial visit (73% vs. 24%) and the follow-up visit (55% vs. 42%). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis identified eight types, including two major types shared by both groups. We conclude that majority of MRSA strains from ear discharge of chronic otitis media belonged to nosocomial clones that might be circulating in the community. This is the first report of the genetic analysis of MRSA strains from otolaryngology practices in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Research Institute of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Ah
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jeong Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Sungbum
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jang Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Hee Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Min Ja
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*